The worst crashes in F1 history

Not for the fainthearted

It’s been a while since Formula One saw a race accident as gruesome as Jules Bianchi’s.

The tragic crash does raise questions about the safety regulations that F1 adheres to. Firstly, the race should have started two hours earlier. Starting the race at 3pm with the skyline already two shades darker because of the rain was unacceptable. Secondly, Adrian Sutil spun off the same spot a lap earlier, which should have been an indicator to the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile). And lastly, with the damn tractor out there to pick up the remains of Sutil’s car, the safety car should have been doing rounds on the track. Either way the organizers messed up and spectators watched in horror as Bianchi’s Marussia went straight into the back — and then right under — the tractor. Bianchi ultimately succumbed to his injuries on July 17 after spending nine months in a comatose state.

Sadly, this wasn’t the first time we’ve seen this lack of preparation/planning from the FIA. Here are a few other instances.

Roger Williamson – Holland 1973

It’s the worst endorsement for the sport that brings F1’s dark underbelly to the fore. After crashing at Zandvoort, British driver Roger Williamson’s car was engulfed in flames. Despite the dreadful accident, only David Purley stopped to help as other drivers drove by. Everyone else continued going about business nonchalantly: drivers drove past the wreckage without a second glance and marshalls looked on as Purley tried to extinguish the flames and lift the car over. Singlehandedly.

Niki Lauda – Germany 1976

Even before this particular incident, the Nürburgring circuit was one of the worst racing circuits in F1. In its 49-year history, it recorded 131 fatalities. Taking this and the general lack of safety measures for the race, a week before, Lauda urged other drivers to boycott the race, but lost the vote by one.

With the track famous for its ever-changing weather conditions, most drivers started on wet tires owing to the rains. Towards the end of the first lap, a weather change meant that drivers had to replace their tires. In a bid to make up for lost time, Lauda raced out of his pitstop with a point to prove, but lost control just before the Bergwerk right hand curve. His car rebounded off the fencing and burst into flames. Lauda miraculously survived with only a lost ear and severe burn injuries. Of course, those of you who watched Rush already knew this.

Ayrton Senna – Italy 1994

Ayrton Senna’s accident at the San Marino Grand Prix rounded off the worst weekend in the history of F1. Many forget that only 24 hours prior to the Brazilian Senna, who was at his prime then – some call him the best F1 driver ever – Austrian Roland Ratzenberger died in qualifying.

Leading the race in Italy, the São Paulo boy charged into the Tamburello corner at about 190mph. On impact, the right tire along with a piece of the suspension assembly penetrated Senna’s visor and the three-time world champion died of fatal skull fractures. Senna was the last driver to have passed away in a Formula One car. For Bianchi’s sake, for Formula One’s sake, we hope it stays that way.

Robert Kubica – Canada 2007

With the racing having restarted after another crash only moments earlier, Robert Kubica clipped Jarno Trulli’s Toyota just before approaching the hairpin bend of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The impact threw Kubica onto the grass where a hump sent his car airborne. Unable to brake or steer, Kubica’s BMW went head first into the concrete wall and exploded like a scene from a Michael Bay movie while tumbling across the track, before coming to a grinding halt on its side. Astonishingly, Kubica got away with nothing more than a light concussion and a sprained ankle.

Romain Grosjean – Belgium 2012

Fernando Alonso probably still has nightmares about what could have been in this Belgium four-car pileup. As the drivers went into the first turn of the race, Romain Grosjean – cementing his place as one of F1’s most reckless drivers – drove into Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton swerved, managing to keep his Mercedes on track only to clip Grosjean’s Lotus from behind, sending the Frenchman’s car – nose up – over Sergio Perez’s Sauber and crashing into Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari just in front of his helmet as the melee unfolded.

Fernando Alonso - Australia 2016

Fernando Alonso just spent one of his nine lives, walking away relatively unscathed from one of the most horrifying crashes in F1 history. The driver clipped competitor Esteban Gutiérrez’s Haas, slamming into the boundary wall before flipping twice in the air and coming to a halt. Alonso said the knowledge of his mother watching at home forced him to escape the mangled vehicle quickly. He later said, “I was flying, so you see the sky then the ground, then the sky, then the ground. You want to stop but it doesn’t stop. It keeps going and going and going.”